[C] Scheming

Today was one of the rare days that Dick and Fleck met up outside of their respective homes. Usually the two were content to spend their days in Fleck's studio, or somewhere in the mansion together, and perhaps venture out from there on a whim.

Dick had asked Fleck to meet him in a little coffee shop right on the edge of old town.

When Fleck did arrive, Dick was already sat at a table with his back to the door. He had a mug in his hands, and another was sat before the empty seat opposite him. Dick had bought him a hot chocolate. With all the trimmings, he could see as he approached Dick carefully quiet.

His hands fell on Dick's shoulders, gripping them affectionately as he whispered 'boo' in his ear.

He dropped a kiss on Dick's cheek then circled around the table to sit opposite him.

"So what are you scheming?" he asked good naturedly as he plucked an unmelted marshmallow from the whipped cream in his mug, and tossed it into his mouth.

"And don't do that innocent thing, 'cause I know you by now."

In this century, Dick developed a terrible habit of just drifting off when waiting. Still awake, but his mind elsewhere. The buzz of the coffee shop turning into white noise and he enjoyed the heat between his hands.

He was nervous, yet excited for today. After a month of careful planning, he was going to surprise his boyfriend. Whether he liked it or not.

The corners of his lips quirked up.

When he felt hands drop down on his shoulders and the familiar voice in his ear, he inhaled sharply through his nose. Back straight and eyes wide.

It took all of his restraint not to elbow his boyfriend in the ribs.

His shoulders dropped when he felt lips pressed against his cheek. He gave a quick hello to his boyfriend, quickly planting a kiss on his own cheek before he was out of reach.

"I'm not scheming."

He planted his elbow on the table with his jaw in his hands. His fingers spun the stud in his ear.

"What makes you think I'm scheming?"

One brow shot up.

"One," he began listing immediately. "You planned for us to meet outside rather than at my place so I couldn't keep you inside all day. You only do that when you have something specific planned, with a specific time limit."

He leaned forwards with a grin. "Two, you were distracted when I came in and didn't notice me until I touched you. You only do that now when you're overthinking something."

His grin only widened as he gestured with a faint nod. "Three, you're playing with your earring. You only do that when you're nervous or lying." Smugness entered his eyes. "Or both."

He sat back, bringing another unmelted marshmallow with him, feeling pleased as punch. He had caught his boyfriend completely red handed, and he knew Dick knew that.

"So what are you scheming, my love?"

At the first part of the list, Dick's face dropped. He thought he was being inconspicuous meeting his boyfriend out on a date, but it seemed he saw right through him. Also, he had a list.

At the second part of the list, he frowned. He figured if anything gave him away, it would be that. This was something he knew Fleck knew for a while now.

At the third part of the list, he drew himself up and looked at his hand as if it betrayed him. He curled it back around his coffee cup.

He was caught between being pleased that his boyfriend knew him so well, and horrified his boyfriend knew him so well. It seemed he could read him like a book.

Leaning back in his chair, he sulked.

"Okay, fine. I'm scheming," he admitted. "But I'm going to keep it a surprise."

A grin was drawn back on his face.

Fleck chuckled at his boyfriend's mixed reactions. It seemed Dick didn't realise just how obvious he was to people that knew him.

"I'll let you keep it a surprise on one condition."

He held up a finger to solidify the demand.

Then he turned his hand and crooked his finger as he made his demand. "You come over here and give me a proper hello kiss."

Dick raised an eyebrow at the raised finger.

"Oh?"

His cheeks warmed as the Fleck's turned his hand and curled his finger towards him. His belly dipped.

With a smile, he pushed himself up from the chair and around the table to give him a kiss. With the people around him in mind, he kept it short, sweet, and chaste. Their noses bumped as he pulled away with a smile.

"Good enough?"

His hands dropped on Dick's hips when he stopped in front of him, and he returned the kiss with the same respect for other around him.

When Dick pulled back, he smiled.

"Perfect."

He gave Dick's hips a little squeeze as the Vampire pulled away.

"So how was it sleeping all alone in your bed last night for the first time since we got back from England?" Dick had been pretty much attached to his hip since they'd come back, and Fleck certainly didn't mind.

But Dick had to go back to the mansion some time, and he'd chosen the night before.

"Did you get lonely?"

Dick hummed, his hands rested on Fleck's shoulders.

"Very," he admitted. "I was tempted to go back to yours. Either to sleep or to drag you back with me."

He squeezed the shoulders.

Over the course of their relationship, he had gone from; preferring to sleep on his own, to not minding having some to wake up with, then finding it difficult to sleep without the comforting weight and movement of a body beside him.

"Did you?"

His lips quirked upwards at Dick's answer.

"Sounds like you missed me just as I missed you. Sollew's too warm of a teddy bear now I've had you."

He liked Dick's cool skin against his own, the quiet breathing, steady rise and fall of his chest, always under one of his large arms. Always lying cuddled with Dick meant that laying alone, he felt incomplete.

Dick laughed warmly.

"I'm glad you missed me as much." He bent down to press another light kiss on his lips. "And at least you had Sollew. Maybe I should steal him away if he is too warm for you."

He took his seat back on the other side of the small table.

"You can't steal away my cat." 

He took a first sip of his now just warm hot chocolate. It was the best temperature to drink it at, in his opinion. When he pulled the cup away, he had some whipped cream on his upper lip. He licked it off painstakingly, making sure there was none left on his skin.

"Maybe you should just move in. Wont be able to miss each other if we live in the same place," though the comment was made in a light joking tone, he did scan Dick's face for reaction to the idea.

Dick's eyes slid down as Fleck licked the cream off the top of his lip. Unconsciously he ran his own along the top.

They shot back up to Fleck's eyes at the light comment, stunned. A flush on his cheeks.

"Maybe," he said, after a long pause.

He took a long sip of his drink, only speaking up again when it was set down.

"I don't think your room would have enough space for my stuff as well."

He looked in the dark reflection of the cup, fingers tapping it.

Moving away from the mansion seemed like a strange idea. Moving away from Giacinto even stranger. Sure, they will still be in the same city but after so long of following her around - over five hundred years of following her around - it was daunting.

Nervous.

He didn't know what to think of the idea, and that in itself made him more nervous.

"True," Fleck agreed. "I don't think all those books you've got squirrelled away will fit in my room."

It was something they could discuss again in the future. They had time. Sixty years of it, at least.

"Are you gonna give me a hint about what you've got planned today?"

At the change of subject, Dick relaxed. He was half-worried Fleck would push the idea, even if he knew he never would.

Forgetting that question ever came up and shoving it to the back of his mind, he managed to curve his mouth into a mischevious smile.

"Nope. Not until we finished our drinks."

"You're enjoying this," he accused good naturedly.

He took another big sip, licking more cream off his lips, but leaving a small smear at the corner of his mouth that he didn't notice.

"Are you going to leave me in suspense until you just spring it on me, huh?" He knew the answer to that one.

Yes.

That's exactly what Dick planned to do.

Dick just grinned at his boyfriend. Bingo.

Although, he had a feeling Feck will begin to figure things out when they start walking down familiar roads. For now, he will keep him in the dark.

Reaching over he wiped the little bit of cream off with his thumb. Without too much thought, he brought his thumb to his own lips. He could hardly taste it.

Fleck hardly made a peep when Dick wiped the little smear of cream from his face. Dick had done it a couple times now. Usually he gave light little jibes about it rather than making it a big deal like some tended to make it.

"You're such a mother hen," was his comment today.

He took the last sip and leaned forwards, staring at Dick intently.

"If I make you uncomfortable enough, maybe you'll tell me?" Announcing his plan obviously took away from the effect he was 'trying' to give. But that was the point. He was joking around.

He was beyond curious about it.

Dick hummed, leaning forwards with his arms crossed on the table. Thre were only a couple of inches between their faces.

He narrowed his eyes into Fleck's for a few long moments.

"No. I don't think that is going to work. Try again."

"Can I bribe you with a blowjob?" He switched to English for the last word, to save the poor locals ears. His face was perfectly neutral as he made this suggestion.

"Or a trade? Slave for an hour type deal if you tell me?" He wouldn't mind being at Dick's beck and call for an hour. He'd probably spend the entirety of it just fetching wine for him, anyway.

"It's time sensitive, so when are we supposed to be there?" At a little before ten now, it was still fairly early in the day.

Dick still hadn't mastered the ability to keep a neutral expression or to keep his blush down. It lit up his face.

"No."

Besides, he will probably get a blowjob later anyway. That thought made him blush further.

At Fleck's question, he checked his watch.

"In about twenty minutes. We can start walking now."

He drained his drink and stood up.

"Worth a try."

Fleck followed Dick to his feet, and when hey were out the door, threw his arm around Dick's shoulders.

"I don't know whether I'm marching to my doom or something great."

His lips quirked upwards.

"Maybe a bit of both?"

He was nervous. When he offered to pay the first time it brought on a tiny argument between them. Only because his boyfriend didn't want him to pay out.

Honestly, if he couldn't afford it he wouldn't.

Not only that, but he was offering for Fleck to have something he designed on whim tattoo permanently on his skin for the rest of his life.

"Okay, you admitting that it could be my doom has made me nervous."

He was beyond curious now.

"What evil little plot have you come up with?" he asked again, not expecting an answer.

Dick just gave Fleck a sweet smile.

He led him along as they made light chatter.

Blue eyes kept side eying Fleck as the streets they followed became more familiar. To a few months ago they had gotten Fleck's newest piercings (and his impromptu one).

Fleck was blissfully oblivious as they walked.

He was human, and it was in human nature to gloss over things if you weren't expecting a ploy.

It wasn't until they turned down onto that street that he realised.

"You didn't," he scorned.